


Best Friends’ Sisters

by Eryessa



Category: All Elite Wrestling, Being the Elite
Genre: F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Multi, domestic abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:53:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25600144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eryessa/pseuds/Eryessa
Summary: The guys of Best Friends from AEW decided to bring their sisters with them when their lives took some major turns. Bringing Trent’s twin sister Ava, Chuck’s older sister Joy and Orange Cassidy’s younger sister Raelynn on the road has some interesting ups and downs. When Ava and Rae catch the eyes of two Elite members, it’s Joy who finds that love was always a short distance away from her.For the sisters, as each try to wade through life with professional wrestlers, with heartache waiting in the halls of the arenas anywhere they travel, they try to over come something that has traumatized them and to move one from those hurtful things.
Relationships: Adam Page/Original Female Character(s), Kenny Omega/Original Female Character(s), Orange Cassidy/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 14





	1. Sisters Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Best Friends Trent, Chuck, and Orange ask their sisters: Ava, Joy, and Rae about helping them while they are on the road. 
> 
> They tell The Elite about their siblings, but it appears some are more than interested in just knowing about their sisters.

**Best Friends’ Sisters**

**Chapter 1: Sisters Three**

The three men of Best Friends watched their sisters as they were discussing what to do about something. Not that Trent’s nearly silent twin sister said anything, but he had been sure to include Ava, Chuck’s older sister Joy, and James “Orange” Cassidy’s little sister Raelynn with their wrestling careers.

“You think they’ll say yes?” Orange asked as he shoved his hands in his jean pockets.

“I hope so,” said Trent.

“I haven’t seen Joy this happy before,” Chuck commented. “Not in a long time at least.”

“Her neck looks better,” Trent said. “Ava made sure to cover the bruising with makeup anytime Joy leaves the house, right?”

The three men had invited their sisters down to Florida, just to have something to do. Since their lives were going nowhere and with Joy’s near-death experience at the hands of her ex-boyfriend, it was decided that Chuck, Trent, and Orange would have to keep their sisters safe. Though Rae was highly capable, the former special ed teacher lost her job thanks to cutbacks, same with Ava and her dog grooming business. It all seemed like a good idea to find a house in Florida, especially with AEW at the beginning of its rise.

“We could find them jobs at Daily’s Place, or we could hire them as our PAs. Remember the last time we went road tripping, we ended up lost and needing Rae’s help.” Orange said.

“Don’t remind me.” Chuck rubbed his face. “Nothing like getting lost in the Grand Canyon National Park at night.”

“Do you think they’ll say yes to moving down?” Trent asked.

Ava nodded her head at whatever Rae said, the faintest of smiles alit her face as she looked over at Joy. Joy, in turn, rubbed her bandaged right wrist. Soon, the three women walked back to the men at the food court.

“We’ve decided to go to the beach tomorrow,” Rae announced as she put her hands on her hips as if in triumph.

Orange laughed at his sister. “Really, it took you that long to decide what you wanted to do tomorrow?”

“Well, it was either that or a zoo but yeah, the ocean sounds fine. Ava wanted to see the tide pools they have out there.” Joy half-whispered.

“Rae, girls, we need to talk about something,” Orange said. “Remember the last time we performed around America? Do you think you could help out again?”

“Like a tour manager?” She asked as she crossed her arms. Her orange-yellow hair swayed at mid-back level. “Why? What’s going on?”

“Well AEW is going to have monthly performances through the year until Dynamite in October. Since we’ll have appearances lined up throughout, we thought you guys could help us out when we need mundane stuff done, like laundry.” Chuck said. “Booking hotels, figuring out the fastest way to get to places. Finding food.”

Ava turned to look at Trent, her bright blue eyes hidden behind her jet black hair. Trent could almost feel his sister’s fear. She and people just never really clicked, not unless it was with Joy or Rae or the other two guys in the group. He could only smile at her, as he had done most of their lives as a way to reassure her.

“See, we haven’t been around all that much and we just want you girls back in our lives,” Chuck said. “You won’t have to work during the TV shows or Youtube tapings or anything like that. You might need to go to arenas and stuff, but we don’t want another Grand Canyon mishap. You’re really good with directions, Rae, and you two never had any sort of trip outside of our home states.”

Joy motioned to the three of them. “We can’t ask that of you guys. This is your life, we don’t really fit in it.”

“Joy,” Chuck sighed. “How long has it been that you’ve lived up to your namesake?”

She looked down. Ava turned to Rae and then looked at the guys again.

“Go on this adventure with us. Spend time with us. Be family. Maybe you’ll find a place in the company and do something you like for once. But we don’t mind paying you guys a wage to help us. We’re brothers, we’re going to help you no matter what.” Trent said in a calmer tone.

“I’ll only do it if Joy and Ava do it. I’m not leaving them out of anything.” Rae said, her chin lifted up a little as she looked up at Orange.

Joy looked at Ava. Ava did nod as she played with the Pokémon charm bracelets on her right wrist.

“If Ava and Rae say yes, then I’ll do it, too.”

“Great,” Chuck said. His phone rang. “It’s Rhodes. He sent us a text to go ahead and meet at the Head Office here at Daily’s. Why don’t you three go...” his voice dyed when he glanced beyond the three sisters.

A majority of The Elite were making their way through the food court of Daily’s Place. The Young Bucks, MJF, Dustin Rhodes, Adam Page, and Kenny Omega were heading in the area where The Best Friends were expected to go as well.

Trent’s sister stepped closer to them as Omega seemed to sense eyes watching. When he stopped and turned, so did Page. Orange had returned to his slouched posture against the standing table with hands in his jean jacket. Joy and Rae glanced at each other then back to the group of Elite guys.

“Are those the Elite?” Ava’s too quiet of a voice managed to reach Trent’s ear. His tiny sister looked around Chuck towards the group of them. “Wow.”

“Some of them. I think they’re heading for a meeting with Rhodes.” Chuck said. “We have to go there as well. Think you girls can handle it by yourselves here?”

“Sure. I feel like pizza anyway.” Rae said. “Let’s find something you guys would like.” She poked Ava and Joy and headed off in the direction opposite the Elite.

Trent took a deep breath when their sisters were out of earshot. “Come on, duty calls.”

Orange followed at his own pace, though he did look back towards his sister and her friends as they lined up for the food stall. Joy Taylor glanced back at him and he smiled, nodded at her before he left with the other two.

* * *

The guys walked into the meeting room where The Elite was. Chuck and Trent stood by the door as Orange leaned against the wall. Cody Rhodes was the Vice President, Tony Khan and his father were Presidents of AEW. But because The Best Friends were in the tag division, they would be working closely with the tag teams within The Elite group as the shows progressed. The three had respect for the others, who had more experience with other wrestling companies over the years.

“So, who were the special ladies you three were chatting with?” Max Friedman, MJF, asked as if to break the silence. “Cute ring rats?”

Chuck, Trent, and Orange looked at each other. The three raised their brows in unison before they shared a glare directed at MJF in particular. The other men in the room stood just a little straighter.

“Our Sisters.” The three Best Friends said together.

He held his hands up. “All right, geez. Just jabbing at you.”

“You don’t need to instigate them.” Cody crossed his arms. “Are they visiting though? I wasn’t aware you guys had siblings.”

“Yes, and no. We’ve offered them PA jobs with us.” Trent said. “We haven’t seen them in a while, and at least two of them recently lost their jobs thanks to the economy tanking back home.”

Brandi Rhodes inclined her head a little. “You know, I wouldn’t mind meeting some new faces.”

“They don’t wrestle,” Orange cut in. “They don’t perform.”

“We’re not asking them to. We just like to get to know our performers a little better.” Brandi clarified.

Trent sized up the Elite, at least the EVP ones. What would they want with their sisters? Chuck appeared none too enthused at the idea. Orange kept up his lax posture but Trent was sure Orange Cassidy was not going to let his sister or the other girls anywhere near anyone with a dong.

“We’ll ask them later if they want to meet with you. Can we just get on with the meeting so we know what’s going to happen at the All Out?” Chuck asked.

“You’re right, that’s what we should focus on,” Kenny said.

At least one of them had some common sense. Neither of the three men wanted anyone else to get close to the three girls, if only for their sake.

For Orange, Joy’s and Rae’s happiness mattered more than his own. Trent seemed to be in the same boat with his sister Ava. Chuck would die if any of the three got hurt because of him.

That’s what having three sisters could do for any men like them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had posted this on a different site but I think it works better here. There seems to be a better audience than where I had originally posted it. It will be different than there, because I am editing it like crazy to make it the best that I possibly can.


	2. Meeting The Elite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava meets Kenny Omega of The Elite. Her special ability isn’t effective around him and she needs to learn to deal with him being well aware of her.
> 
> For Kenny, Ava is unique and different. He wants to befriend her but she obviously has some issues she needs to work out.
> 
> Joy, Ava and Rae are offered a job that would greatly improve their worth for the company.

**Chapter 2: Meeting the Elite**

**Ava and Kenny**

Ava got lost soon after her brother and his friends went off to do their meeting stuff. While Joy and Rae were eating pizza at a table, Ava wanted to walk around the place. When she walked outside into a place that looked like a walk through terrarium, with plants and bees. She didn’t mind bees, they were what made honey and helped pollinate plant life so that they could have oxygen.

She leaned over a beautiful purple-blue flower of some type as a bee landed on it. Ava knew if she held her breath she wouldn’t disturb the little flying insect as it’s tiny tongue thing rolled out to suck at the nectar in the plant. It’s tiny fuzzy legs and bee behind got a good dusting of pollen to spread to the other flowers to help propagate the species of flowers.

Nature was beautiful especially when humans were ugly. She felt a kinship to those small little critters, her being a small human as well, even if she had a huge big older twin brother. She was the bee and Trent was the tree. She smiled at the thought. She helped him and he helped her by keeping her safe. That’s what nature was like for bees.

She stood up, pushed her hair from her face, and turned around to go find somewhere else to walk to. As Ava turned to walk down the path towards what looked like a Japanese bridge, she felt herself collide with someone. That, someone, didn’t budge and yet she bounced right off the solid wall of muscle. 

The man said something in a foreign language as she took a step back from him. 

He was one of the men from earlier, one of the Elite guys. Which one had the curly hair and beard? Weren’t there two like that? Because of her height difference, he had to crane his neck down to look at her.

“Konbanwa,” the man said. “Afternoon, miss.” He said that in English. “I didn’t see you there. I’m really sorry about that.”

She stepped back even more. Her right hand went to her Pokémon bracelets. If Ava could put some distance from him maybe her invisibility powers will kick in and he would forget.

“I’m Kenny Omega, you’re the sister of a Best Friend, right?”

She nodded. “Trent,” she heard herself say. It was a feat to get anything to come out of her mouth anymore. 

Ava had seen Kenny Omega’s picture on one of the promotional things in Daily’s Place. He was shirtless in that promotion picture, but in front of her, he wore tan pants, sneakers, and an off white cotton shirt with some sort of logo on it. His hair was a wavy mess. His shirt stretched with what he was wearing and the way he tilted his head made his large shoulders move. 

“Oh, good. They’re looking everywhere for you. Joy said you wandered off and Trent is getting worried. I should probably get you back to them before they call the police.” The man said.

He stepped to the side and motioned up the stairs in which she had come from. She swallowed her spit to keep her dry throat from closing up on her. Ava kept a close eye on the guy as he walked by her side back into the main hall of Daily’s Place. 

Across the food court, Ava spotted Rae’s strawberry orange hair along with her much taller twin brother. The moment Ava spotted them she trotted over to them, literally squeezing herself between Trent and Chuck. Maybe if she hid, Kenny wouldn’t try to talk to her anymore.

“Ava, what the hell? Where did you go?” Trent twisted around to look down at her.

“I found her in the Garden,” Kenny said as he joined up with the group and he came to stand near where Ava was.

“How’d you manage that?” Orange asked.

"I don't understand." He looked back and forth between the three men and the two other women.

“When I first met her some years ago, she stood in front of me and I still didn’t see her.” Chuck clarified.

It was true, Ava and Joy knew each other for years before Chuck and Trent met up with James “Orange” Cassidy, Rae came around more recently and the three had been fast friends since. Even with Ava’s lack of speaking skills, they included her in everything. Now there were more people who could see her and it wasn’t something she liked.

“Your kid sister seems sort of shy, Trent,” Kenny said.

“She’s not a kid, she’s my twin.” Trent had to shove her out from behind him. Ava glared at him for that. “Oh come on, Aves, Omega is a big softy. You have nothing to worry about.”

“This is a twin?” The guy with the scarf asked as he motioned to Ava. “Yeah right. Itty Bitty isn’t your twin.”

“Man, I didn’t even see her.” One of the new people said. He was the other curly-haired guy, but this one was wearing plaid, jeans, and boots. He looked like a Cowboy.

“Ava’s good at hiding in plain sight. It’s one of her abilities.” Rae commented as she stood between Ava and Kenny, though her eyes were glued on the guy that looked like a cowboy. 

Ava chanced a look at Kenny. He stood about six feet from her, and he was smiling. It didn’t look like he was smiling at her exactly but maybe he was smiling at her. It just made her stomach quiver, which never happened to her before.

Thankfully, that MJF guy left because he apparently was bored. That left The Young Bucks, the cowboy guy was named Adam Page, and finally, there was Kenny. Ava didn’t see Cody Rhodes, his brother, or Cody’s wife around so they must have been doing other things.

“Hey, we should go out and do something,” Adam suggested. “There’s a bar nearby that I’ve been meaning to head out to. You ladies should go.”

“Not interested,” Rae said.

Of course, Rae wouldn’t want to go. Ava didn’t drink either and Joy shifted uncomfortably between Chuck and Orange as she tried to keep her chin and her right wrist hidden from view. After what happened between Joy and her last boyfriend, she had her own reserves about drinking.

“Our sisters aren’t into that sort of stuff.” Chuck clarified even though Rae sort of glared at the taller man. “They just barely got in and we were thinking of having a family get together. We’re actually planning on moving into a bigger house.”

“Like the Brady Bunch?” One of the Bucks, the younger looking one so Nick, asked. “Sounds like something we did with our wives and children before we outgrew it.”

“Have you chosen a place yet?” Matt Jackson asked.

“We need to get them moved in first,” Trent said. 

Ava saw Orange’s hand creep out and touch Joy’s hand. She bit her lip and stayed silent as Orange tried to calm down her friend. 

“Ava and I are staying together,” Trent continued. “Chuck and Joy are sharing his apartment and Rae just got in today but Orange only has his studio so she’ll be staying with Ava and myself.”

“Did you have anything in mind?” Kenny asked. “Is there one that has caught your attention?”

“There are a few options if we pool our paychecks together. But we’re not in that big of a rush.” Chuck said.

“Speak for yourself,” Rae spoke up. “I’m still not sure if all three of us being your PAs is a good thing. I was a teacher, not a gopher.”

“Gopher?” Adam asked.

“Go For this, go for that.” She clarified and got a round of “ohs” from the group of men. “I only agreed because Ava and Joy were okay with the idea.”

“Are you okay with the idea, Ava?” Kenny asked her.

She felt her eyes widen. 

How could he still see her? 

* * *

When Kenny first saw Ava, she almost looked like a kid with how short she was. Tiny, she was stick thin. Her mid-back long black hair was loose and flowing, it shined. It’s what caught his attention when he went to check out the koi pond in the Garden area of Daily’s Place. There was a Japanese garden section he enjoyed hanging out in just to feel like he’s back in Japan.

Her thin arms, those big massive blue eyes that looked at him in pure shock and either horror or awe, maybe both, intrigued him. She couldn’t have been 33 years old. There was no way. She acted like a shy little kid as she tried to hide behind her brother and Chuck. 

When he first saw her in passing, she had hidden behind Chuck and stuck her head out for a peek. Even then it was cute. Then when he saw her looking at flowers while bees flew around her head, it was strange and exotic almost. Any other woman, even Riho, would have had a panic attack. She didn’t even flinch as one landed on her arm. 

She looked at him as the group talked about their living situation. Her young looking face paled more than before and she tried to hide behind Rae. On the one hand, it was cute that she was trying to hide from him, but on the other, it was kind of worrying. Did something happen that made her react like that? If so, how could he make it less threatening for her?

“Well if the ladies aren’t up for going to a bar, what about you guys?” Kenny looked over at Adam. “More the merrier, you know.”

Kenny caught Ava biting her lower lip as she looked up at Trent. Joy looked towards Chuck and then at Orange as Rae rubbed the bridge of her nose. Before any of them could say yes or no to the deal, Cody and Brandi and Dustin made their way up to the gathered group.

“Sorry about that, we were having a problem with the costume designer we’ve hired.” He said as he made eye contact with Kenny and the Young Bucks.

“What do you mean?” Nick asked.

“They’re pulling out,” Brandi said. “Apparently his seamstress was being hassled and she refused to return to work.”

“Who hassled her?” Kenny asked. He vaguely remembered the woman, she reminded him of his sister. Her boss was her father and they worked well with a lot of the wrestlers. He didn’t hear anything about the woman having a problem until then.

“Guevara.” Cody rolled his eyes. “I’m going to talk to him about it when he gets in but now we’re out of a seamstress and head of wardrobe for All Out.”

“Joy,” Chuck turned to the short blonde woman. “Maybe you should do it, like old times.”

“No, I don’t...I can’t run anything like that. I’ll need help.”

“What do you mean you can’t run something like that?” Cody asked. “Do you have experience with clothing and seamstress stuff?”

“I used to work in LA, on movie sets, and television shows. Special effect costuming and stuff like that. I'm an Art school graduate. But I haven’t done it in like two years.” She looked at Chuck. “I can’t do it alone.”

“Well, I’ll gopher for you,” Rae said. “Plus, if someone gives you problems I can sort them out.” The redhead flexed her fist.

“You were a special ed teacher, Raelynn,” Orange said. “You really think you can work with clothes and functional adults?”

“Hey, Joy can teach me. That’s what being a teacher is, learning and teaching someone else. I bet we could get Ava into the mix.”

“Who?” Brandi asked as she looked around. “Who’s Ava?”

Trent and Rae pointed at the little black-haired woman who still had yet to speak up. She stood directly between the two men and Brandi somehow hadn’t seen her.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry, ma’am. I didn’t see you there.” Brandi walked up to her. “I’m Brandi Rhodes.” She held her hand out to Ava.

“Hi,” Ava said as she shook the woman’s hand.

That was the other thing Kenny thought was interesting about her, she spoke so soft that it was hard to hear her. It was hard to hear her and see her, how did she get through life like that? What made her that way in the first place.

After greeting the couple, she ducked her head and went quiet again. She tried to hide more behind Rae as the others discussed the job Joy somehow got talked into.

“Well, if you could send us a portfolio of your work to look through before All Out, that would be helpful. If it’s good, we’ll give you a trial run at the All Out and we’ll go from there.” Cody said.

“Come on, Joy, do it,” Chuck said. "You used to love to do stuff like that. It'll be like old times."

“I can’t do it on my own.”

“I already told you I would help,” Rae said. “You’re good with helping as well, right, Ava?” 

She ducked her head a little under all their gazes. The small woman managed to nod from where she stood. 

“Well, good that’s settled. We’ll wait for your Portfolio Ms. Taylor, and we’ll write up contracts for both Raelynn and Ava to work with you and PA work for Best Friends as well.” Cody said.

Ava’s face turned a nice shade a pink as she looked at her group. Trent smiled down at her, but she screwed up her face at him in response. How could that little pale thing be his twin sister? They may have had the same black hair, but she was not as tanned as him. It was as if she spent most of her time inside. 

Kenny couldn’t help but smile at the small woman that had caught his attention. Ava looked at him and then looked away so fast her hair swung around her shoulders.

Maybe he could get her to talk more.

* * *

_**Konbanwa: good afternoon** _   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m alternating between couples in each chapter. The next chapter is going to be Joy and Orange.
> 
> Also thanks for reading and leaving kudos. I really appreciate it. And I fixed a few errors that I found.


	3. All Out Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joy and Orange:  
> Joy comes to learn that Orange may like her but she couldn’t believe that.
> 
> Orange shows Ava a gift he intends on giving Joy but he is worried she won’t accept the gift. 
> 
> It seems that Kenny Omega really can see Ava and he’s not the only one who wants to invite her and her friends out to do something after the show.

**All Out: Part One**

**Joy and Orange**

Joy had a lot to do to prepare for All Out. This Pay Per View was going to be when Orange was debuting with Best Friends but it wasn’t being held in Florida, it was in Illinois.

With Chuck and Trent doing a few wrestling interviews in the area, that meant Orange was able to help Joy, Rae and Ava get their stuff together and to the Sears Centre Arena before most others were going to be there. Joy needed a chance to set up the costume and wardrobe department.

“Where did you want this?” Rae asked as she held up one of her salvaged sewing machines.

“On that fold-out table over there.” Joy pointed toward the corner of the area where she was setting up a folding table with Ava. “Oh, Orange, could you put that case down here? That’s full of scraps that I can use to mend basic rips.”

“Sure,” He said.

Joy thanked her lucky stars that she had Rae and Ava to help set up. Orange at least was useful for moving the heavier things she needed. Since they were the first ones to show up for the show, she needed the extra time to get everything set up.

If she did a good enough job, there would be a hefty pay raise for her, Ava and Rae. It would be just enough to get the small bungalow house they had been looking at, well not so small considering it had five rooms. With what the guys were getting paid and then if they did a good job at the pay-per-view, it would be a success. They wouldn’t be staying in separate places.

And maybe Joy could change her old phone number. The recent text messages were starting to scare her...

It took another two hours before the other wrestlers started to show up. And some of them were showing up with things that needed to be fixed the day prior. There was Britt Baker, the dentist woman.

“Hi, I’m sorry to disturb you. Is one of you a seamstress?” She looked between Rae and Joy. Ava stood in the center of the room holding a bolt of bright orange cloth but the woman didn’t seem to notice her at all.

“I am. What can I do for you?” Joy asked as she made sure the various choker collars were still in place on her neck.

“Well, the last wardrobe guy made this but it seems something popped loose in the jacket that I wanted.” She showed the seam of where the sleeve met the shoulder of her white jacket.

“Oh, this is an easy fix. Ava, could you get my hand stitching kit?”

“Who?” Britt asked and finally saw Ava move towards the small travel case Joy had. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

“It’s a common thing. No one notices her at first.” Rae said as Joy started to prep the jacket for mending. “Trust me, I didn’t when I first met Trent, her twin brother.”

“Still, I’m sorry about that, Ava was it?” Britt said.

Ava smiled at the woman as she handed Joy what she needed. “It’s okay. I don’t mind.” She said in her super quiet voice.

Orange spoke up. “Hey, Ava, could you come with me? I need help with some stuff.”

Ava looked at him but nodded just the same. Joy watched them leave together.

“I wonder what they are up to,” Rae said as she met Joy’s gaze.

“Isn’t he supposed to debut tonight?” Britt asked.

“Orange Cassidy is my brother,” Rae said. “And yes, he is. But I have no idea what he has going on in his head. Maybe it has something to do with Joy.”

“Yeah, right.” Joy laughed at the thought. “Orange isn’t interested in me like that.”

“You haven’t seen the way he looks at you when you’re not looking.”

“Ooh, a budding romance. That sounds like a plot to a great romance novel.” Britt wiggled her eyebrows at Joy.

No, there was no way. Sure, Orange was nice. After what happened with her last boyfriend, there was no way Orange Cassidy had a thing for Joy Taylor. When she woke up in the hospital after the attack, with a slit throat and a cut wrist, he had been there with her brother Chuck, as well as Trent, Ava, and Rae. Sure Rae had threatened to make her ex suffer, while Ava seemed to want to make absolute certainty that Joy was well covered and being treated nicely.

Orange was the one that spoke to her when she came in and out of consciousness. He said everything that her ex had never done.

“Joy, are you okay?” Britt asked.

“Uh,” she shook her head. “I was just thinking of something. Sorry. I’ll have this mended for you real quick.”

“You don’t have to rush, but I’ll be right back. I need to go find who I am working with tonight for the pay-per-view. Kenny will have the list and I’m sure he’s around here somewhere by now.” Britt said before she left the room.

“Do you think we should warn Ava about Omega?” Rae asked as she and Joy were left alone in the room together.

“I think she’ll be fine with Orange around.”

* * *

Orange held up the necklace he had found for Joy. “Do you think she’ll like it?” He asked Ava as they stood in catering.

It was a choker necklace that he had found while they were at Daily’s Place one day. In one of the merchant stores, he found a thick strapped choker that had butterflies on it that glittered blue, like Joy’s eyes. Ava looked at the choker and smiled. She nodded.

“I just thought Joy should have something as beautiful as herself.” He said as he ran a thumb over one of the butterfly pieces.

It wasn’t that he had never gotten anything for a woman before, he had, but this had to be special. With Joy, she worried about how she would do on the job, and with how Ava was constantly trying to help hide Joy’s scars from everyone around them, Orange wanted her to feel something.

He wanted Joy to feel something for him, much like he felt for her. The first time he saw Joy, it was the first time he saw a bruise on her and it made him sick to think that someone she trusted would do that to her. It was shortly before her ex attacked her when he started working Indy shows with Trent and Chuck when Orange met the woman. She was as quiet as Ava, she didn’t meet his eye but Orange sure as hell noticed her. When Rae called him out on it the first time he met Joy, he didn’t have the heart to deny that his sister was correct for once, like usual.

Orange heard Ava gasp a little while he was lost in thought. When he looked up, she had wedged herself between him and the wall. Sure he wasn’t as big as Trent or Chuck but that didn’t stop her from hiding from who was walking in their direction.

Kenny Omega, dressed in his usual attire, walked with The Young Bucks as they were talking amongst themselves. Orange felt Ava grab the back of his jean jacket and poke her head out from around his elbow before she disappeared behind him again.

“Oh hey, what’s up, Orange?” Kenny asked as he came to a stop. He tilted his head a little. “Ava? Is that you?”

“Yep,” Orange said before he sidestepped to reveal the small woman. “Ava’s helping me with getting drinks for Joy and Rae. We’ve been here most of the morning.”

“Hey, do you mind if we bother you later, Ava? We’re going out for an after-show dinner when the show ends tonight and at least I thought you and the others might like to join us.” He stepped closer to her.

She had nowhere to run, she couldn’t hide anymore and Orange knew it. Now that three men were looking at her for an answer, she looked petrified and lost what little color was in her skin. Her hand went to her Pokémon bracelet as her hand started to shake by itself. Orange wanted to do something but the other wrestler beat him to it.

“Tell you what, we’ll stop by in a little bit and talk to Joy and Rae. That way, if they say it’s okay, maybe you won’t be as worried to join us for dinner.” Kenny said.

“That sounds like a great idea.” Orange put the choker back in his pocket. “We’ll see you there. Come on, Ava, let’s get those water bottles.” He put his hand on her shoulder and steered her towards the snack and drinks table.

“See you later, Ava,” Kenny said before he and The Young Bucks left in the opposite direction.

Ava busied herself with picking up two water bottles. Orange shook his head.

“Your invisibility powers are wearing off, Ava.”

She bit her lip as she looked at him.

“Oh, I see. You have a thing for an Elite guy, don’t you? That’s actually kind of cute.” He mused.

Ava squinted her eyes at him, her lips pursed together and she stood straighter as she stared up at him. She even mimicked Rae’s pissed off stance, hands on her hips as she squinted and pursed her lips at him. It was like watching an eight-year-old get mad at him.

“Hey, I’m pointing out the obvious here. You’re the one acting like a shy little girl around him.”

Her shoulders slumped. “I don’t understand," she whispered. Thankfully he could hear her.

“Understand what? That you’re losing your power or you like a guy?”

“Both.”

He took a deep breath. How many times had he overlooked her? How many times did her parents leave her at a store only to go back and get chewed out by store security? He remembered that story, and it still bothered him that it could happen to someone like Ava. And when no one pays her much attention, she wonders off on her own to do whatever and still get lost in the process. But when she is the center of someone’s attention, she gets flustered. She was an anomaly, that was for sure.

“Let’s talk to Rae and Joy, maybe they’ll have some answers.”

“Don’t tell Trent.” She stopped him by grabbing his jacket. “I don’t want him to know.”

“I think he may have a clue. He isn’t as dumb as he makes himself out to be.” Orange grabbed a bottled orange juice for himself and maneuvered Ava out of the catering area.

Rae was standing outside of the wardrobe room, talking to Penelope Ford, Kip Sabian, and Adam Page. The latter of the three was staring at Orange’s sister a little too much.

Ava squeezed her way into the room as Orange stayed outside.

“What’s going on?” He asked his sister.

“Oh, we were just inviting Rae out to a club after the show,” Penelope said in her cool British accent. “You know, we always have a good time after Pay-per-views and when we get our shows started there will be even more parties.”

“Yeah, that’s not my scene,” Rae said as she looked over at Orange. “You can go, big brother.”

“Big brother?” Kip looked between the two. “Really? She’s your sister? What about the blonde that’s fixing Britt’s stuff?”

“That’s Joy, she’s Chuck’s sister,” Orange said. “Trent’s twin is the dark-haired woman that just went in. None of you noticed her.”

The three turned to look at Ava as she stood in front of Joy, hands clasped in front of her as she whispered something to Chuck’s sister. Joy looked up at him with a mixture of confusion and intrigue on her face as if she realized he was there with others.

“I forgot about her,” Adam said. “The offer still stands, you know.”

“Only if I have to cart around drunks. I don’t like people driving while under the influence.” Rae crossed her arms. “The only people I can stand to be around is Best Friends when they’re three sheets soaked.”

Orange’s fiery sister knew how to get her point across. She was bitter after what they had growing up. If it meant making sure everyone got back safe she was the one they called to get home in one piece. All the more reason to have fun when she didn’t, though Joy had a good reason to not want anything to do with him when he was drinking.

“Kenny and The Young Bucks don’t drink, but they come out and have fun from time to time. They make sure nothing happens to us, especially Kenny. He’s like a big brother to all of us women in the company.” Penelope said.

“I heard Omega doesn’t drink. Maybe that would be a good thing for Ava.” Orange said, getting a glare from the dark-haired woman in the room. So she could hear from where she was standing, that was good to know.

Rae looked at him. “Really? I thought she had a thing for the guy when he brought her back a month ago.”

“Speaking of, he and the Young Bucks are coming around to talk to you three about dinner for after the show tonight. He tried to initiate a conversation with Ava but she clammed up.”

“What dinner?” Rae asked. “They want to go clubbing and he wants to take us out to dinner?” She motioned to Penelope and Kip and Adam before she motioned into the room and then herself. "What are the odds of that happening in one day? Are you sure about that?"

Orange shrugged. “For sure. They didn’t say where they were going. Kenny offered Ava dinner but when she froze in fear, he said he’d be back to talk with you and Joy, that way it would be less stressful for her.”

“I’ll respect the guy a little bit more if he’s willing to overlook Ava’s social insecurities. It might be fun. It depends on what they deem dinner to be at least. If it’s Asian food, I’m out. Can’t handle fish to save my life.”

“Knowing Kenny and The Bucks, something to do with video games,” Adam said. “You know they did a lot of stuff with video games, Kenny played a live-action character for a Street Fighter character.”

“Don’t you play that game, Ava?” Rae turned to look in the room. “You have that game, right?”

Ava only nodded as she sat next to Joy. She tried to make herself as small as possible.

“She plays Street Fighter?” Adam asked.

“Yes, but she's really into Monster Hunter World at the moment. She’s big into anything with animals, dinosaurs, or nature in general. If it’s Capcom, she’s got all the skins for her hunters.”

Penelope pulled Rae to the side. “Do you think we can set her and Omega up?” The British woman whispered.

“Yeah, not going to happen,” Adam said. “Omega’s working too much to get involved with anything with two legs. Besides, from what I’ve seen, the woman will more than likely vanish into thin air if she’s around Omega.”

“And they’ve only met once. It takes time for her to warm up to people.” Orange said.

“So she wouldn’t be interested in hanging out at the club?” Penelope asked.

“No, sorry. The three of us don’t do that sort of thing. You can, Orange, I’m not.” Rae walked back into the room, effectively cutting the conversation short.

“What does she have against having a little fun?” Adam asked.

Orange leaned against the wall next to the door. “When she and I were kids, our dad drove drunk multiple times. One of those times, it killed our mom.”

“Oh, oh bloody hell. I need to apologize. I really didn’t...I shouldn't have pressured her.” Penelope started to walk into the room.

Orange caught the woman’s arm to stop her. “No, my sister can have a hot temper at times. She’s a redhead after all. Let her cool off, and don’t go do something stupid like getting behind the wheel drunk. She will tear you a new one if she found out.”

Orange looked at Adam, who seemed to be deep in thought. Since he was the drinker of The Elite, it appeared he had a minor thing for his sister. He made a mental note to keep an eye on the two of them later.

“We’ll leave you be, then. Sorry to have disturbed you. Come on, love. We have our spots to go over.” Kip said.

“Yeah, I think you’re right.”

Orange looked at Adam as the two love birds left. “Come back later, let her calm down. You don’t want to cross an angry redhead.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right. I’ll come back later.” He was smart enough to walk away as the three girls were in a deep conversation in the corner of the room.

Orange hunkered down in the room and waited for the rest of The Best Friends to show up. The party would start just as soon as Omega and the Young Bucks decided to show up. He wanted to see where they were going to take the guys' sisters to dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m having a lot of fun writing for you guys. Thank you for the kudos and reads.


	4. All Out Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rae decides to hear what Kenny wants to ask. It gets interesting when he mentions dinner at an arcade place.
> 
> Adam manages to ask Rae if he can join.

**Chapter 4: All Out Part 2**

**Rae and Adam**

Rae sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. The show had started and Ava was hiding in the corner of the room. Kenny Omega had returned before the roster meeting and when he did Ava just went paler than a snowman when he and The Young Bucks came into the room. Thankfully The Best Friends had returned from whence they came to lighten the mood.

“Well we were offered to go out to a club by Penelope Ford and now you’re inviting Ava out to dinner.” Rae said as she looked at Kenny.

“Well, I figured you would like to join us.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “You and Joy, at least.”

Cute, he was trying to throw the others under the bus with him. She heard Trent snort from somewhere to her right, and Chuck made a sound. Orange, of course, kept quiet as a mouse.

“And you’re okay with this?” She looked at Young Buck One, Matt. “I have to be absolutely sure. Just so I’m not walking into a rave.”

“We’re not like that.” Nick said. “And it was his idea.” He pointed to Kenny.

She leveled Omega a look, the one she had to use on Best Friends from time to time when something was up and she knew damn well she wasn’t going to be getting anything out of it. She went with her gut.

“Okay, let’s say Joy, Ava and I agree to go out to dinner with your little group, where are you taking us?”

“Ever heard of Dave and Busters?” Omega asked.

“The adult version of Chuck E. Cheese?” She asked.

“Hey, it’s adult games and great food. The one in Vegas is a blast the last time we were there. Granted they serve alcohol but you don’t need to drink to have fun.” Nick said.

“Uh huh. You want to go to an arcade style estaurant?” She asked the men.

She chanced a look at Ava. The woman’s mouth was open just a fraction, so of course there was the chance she would have liked to go.

“Tell you what, if what I heard about you three is correct, you’re not going to be drinking and if you promise not to do so, then Joy, Ava and myself will happily join you for a trip to Dave and Busters. But, if our brothers call us to have them picked up from the club they were invited to I will drop what I’m doing and we will do it.”

She saw her brother and his friends give each other the look. It was a shared look they seemed to be good at giving each other.

“Sounds like a fair plan.” Nick said.

Ava stared at her with big eyes. Joy didn’t really have an expression, she stood with her shoulder to the three men but was looking at her brother and Orange as if they were going to say something.

No, this wouldn’t do. If Joy needed a chance with Orange, it would be best to let Joy be miserable for the night like her.

“Actually, Joy, if you could be a dear, you could go with Orange, Chuck and Trent, and make sure they don’t get roofied or picked up by some random chicks? I’ll more than likely cause a fight and I need to make sure Ava doesn’t decide to wander off.” Rae said.

“I, I guess. Sure.” Joy stammered out as she looked at their brothers. “I can call if I’m having a problem getting them back to the hotel, right?”

“You better. The last thing I want is two giant six-foot-two men and that one passing out on little you.” She motioned to Orange.

Her brother’s facial expression didn’t change, but she saw Joy smile a fraction.

“Great, it’s been decided. Ava and myself will go with you three, Joy will escort The Best Friends to the club and hopefully we’ll have a nice night.” Rae told Kenny, Matt and Nick. “Come back after the show, we’ll be ready.”

Kenny turned to look at Ava. She froze and looked down. “Great,” he said. “We’ll drop in from time to time to see how you ladies are doing. I think we have the roster meeting to get to. Let us know if someone bothers you. We can sort them out if you need us to.”

The three left as The Best Friends started to leave as well.

“Are you sure that’s really a good idea?” Trent asked. “You two and those three?”

“It could have been worse. I want Ava to have a new set of friends, but she clams up around Omega.”

“This isn’t like you, Raelynn.” Orange said. “They’re strangers to you both.”

“So were Chuck and Trent but you didn’t try to stop us from hanging out. Besides, from what I was told about them, I don’t have anything to worry about with those three. Two are married and one is a sensible man who just wants to be nice to Ava. Since when has anyone outside our group gave Ava that amount of notice? No one, and she needs this.” She lowered her voice as she turned to the three Best Friends. “Ava needs this, and if it’s him I think it’s the best thing.”

Her brother didn’t object, and it was surprising Trent didn’t either with how protective of his sister he tended to be. He didn’t look happy but then again, it was Ava they were discussing.

“What about you? Aren’t you worried about anything?” Chuck asked.

“Not really. I can handle myself. You know what I’m capable of.” She smirked at him.

Joy made a noise. “You guys need to go. They said they were going to a roster meeting. You wouldn’t want the EVPs to get angry with you.”

“She’s right. We need to go. We’ll talk about this later.” Trent said as he started for the door. “Come on, we have to go.”

Ava walked up to Rae and looked her in the face. “Why?” The woman asked as she took on the motherly look that Rae was good at giving. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Rae smiled. Ava finally spoke up above a whisper. “Because, there is finally someone out there that notices you, and he just wanted to be your friend. If it had been someone else, I would have killed him already.”

“I don’t want him to notice me. I want everything to go back to normal.” She crossed her arms. “I want it just us. I don’t want him...” her voice died off a little, it scratched at the end.

“You don’t want him to notice you?”

She nodded.

“Ava, you of all of us, need a bit of difference in your life. Remember last month, when he asked for your opinion on whether you wanted to work with Best Friends or not? Even then he was letting you have a voice.”

She looked down.

“If you want him to notice you, you might have to speak up a little.”

“But my powers don’t work around him.” She had to stomp her foot at that.

“And that’s a good thing.”

“No it isn’t. It’s, it’s,” she shook her hands. “Ugh, it’s not fair. Why can’t I look at him and not feel funny?”

Rae knew, she just knew. Ava was going through her first crush on an actual man. No longer was she more interested in animals or video games, she was a woman with needs and it was cute. She had caught the attention of a man that apparently didn’t date, but had an interest in Ava, which was confusing the woman.

“You aren’t going alone, you’ve got me there with you. You just need to trust me, Ava. I’m going to make sure that he is a sweet man, a nice guy and if something comes out of it, it will be the best thing to happen to you.”

“What about you? Why don’t you date him?”

“He is cute, I’ll give him that. But...I don’t think it’ll work out. I don’t think he can handle my fiery personality.”

There was a knock on the door. Rae looked up and blinked a little. The cowboy, Adam Page from earlier, walked up. “Hey, sorry to interrupt but I could use some help.”

Joy stood up. “What can I help with?”

“My Hangman vest,” he held it up. “Leather seam ripped. Think it can be fixed. Not right now, but later, I have the main event tonight.”

* * *

Rae Cassidy wasn’t a woman he had ever met before. When Adam had seen her earlier, she stood in a way that made it obvious she wanted nothing to do with him or anyone that wasn’t in her little group. After what Orange said about their lives growing up, he was sure that she wouldn’t ever give him a second glance.

Adam smiled after he told the women what was wrong with his vest. “Nice to meet you again, ma’am.”

She furrowed her brows as she crossed her arms over her chest. The dark haired one, the one Kenny was trying to get to talk to him, started to disappear into the corner of the room.

Joy took his performance vest. “I can get this fixed real quick.” She said before she returned to her chair.

“Kenny said he and the Young Bucks invited you ladies out for dinner.” He flicked his gaze to the black haired woman. She stood still like a stalk of corn. “Mind if I join you?”

Rae squinted up her eyes as she looked at Adam. He smiled, as her eyes scanned him.

“As long as you promise to put some damn clothes on.” She said.

He laughed at the woman. “Darlin’, I promise, I’ll at least wear some pants for you.”

He saw her swallow. Ah, so she did...maybe. Adam smiled just a bit bigger.

“I’ll be back in a little while for my vest, Ms. Joy.” He threw in his southern cowboy charm at the blonde woman, tipped his imaginary cowboy hat and left.

Adam hoped he had left Rae looking confused.

She was a different type of woman, a woman who took charge of things. She handled things the way she wanted. Maybe he could wiggle his way into the dinner with Kenny, The Bucks, that Ava girl and Rae, maybe he would just see how she really was for once.

Adam found Kenny and the others in the catering hall just before the pay-per-view roster meeting was set to start. He and the Bucks were discussing something when Adam walked up to them.

“I heard you invited two of the Best Friends’ sisters out to dinner. Mind if I tag along?” He asked.

“Why? We’re going to Dave and Busters.” Kenny said.

“The redhead seems kind of fun to be around.” Adam smiled. “And you seem to have an interest in Trent’s sister.”

He knew how to rub Kenny. The other man was easy to read because he could blush like a school girl.

“It’s not an interest.”

“Then what do you call it?”

“A crush.” Nick said, only to get smacked in the head by his brother Matt. “Come on, you can’t deny it’s cute. He even asked her out to dinner.”

“So, you wouldn’t mind me hanging out since Rae is going, right?” Adam asked.

The Best Friends stood twenty feet away from them. Their usual goofy antics were dead in the water as they watched the Elite guys talk. Adam for his part didn’t know if they were pissed off at Kenny, or if they were pissed off in general. If they were the protective types, as Trent seemed to be, then he was dead in the water if Orange really was protective of his sister Rae.

“You think they’re happy we’re taking their sisters out?” Adam asked.

“Chuck’s sister is going with them. Only Rae and Ava are going out with us.” Kenny said. “I think it’s more of they don’t trust us with their sisters.”

“More they don’t trust you with Ava.” Matt said. “Have you seen how they congregate around her if anything is perceived as threatening?”

Ava was weird, Adam would give him that. When they had met the three sisters, she pretty much went invisible between Trent and Chuck, while Rae stood so tall for being short at around five foot four. She had an attitude that rivaled any wild horse or ranch animal he had ever dealt with.

“Guevara, where the hell have you been?” Cody called out.

“Sorry, Rhodes, I was just introducing myself to the wardrobe ladies. Those two, wow.” The Texas native, and pain in everyone’s side, said as he walked in rubbing his face. “That redhead, man.”

“Are you harassing the staff again?” Kenny asked, arms crossed.

“Come on, the ladies love me.” The cocky ass said.

“That redhead happens to be my sister.” Orange spoke up in a tone so dark it could make spiders crawl.

The entire roster looked at him, the sloth of the three men, finally spoke up and used his big boy words in a way that scared a few people.

“And the goth blonde?” Guevara asked.

“Mine.” Chuck added. “If you have any sense in you, you’d stay the hell away from our sisters.”

“Come on, I was just having a little fun. They’re pretty things. No sense in not...” His voice trailed off into a strained laugh.

Trent looked at Kenny. So if Ava hadn’t been seen, she would be okay. Good to know, though Rae...she would have made sure she was the soul attention of the guy. Adam had a good long look at Guevara’s face, and noticed the distinctive red mark.

“She hit you didn’t she?” Adam laughed at Guevara.

He shook his head. “No, she, it was an accident.”

“If we know Raelynn Cassidy, and we do, a slap to the face is the least you have to worry about.” Trent said.

“If you’re harassing staff again, that will come out of your pay check.” Kenny said. “Listen up, women. If this man bothers you in any sort of way, let me know. I’ll handle it for you.” He went off into Japanese for the Japanese speakers to understand. Riho and the others nodded in an agreeable manner.

“So let’s get this meeting over with and we can get the show on the road.” Cody declared, which ended all conversations about Guevara and his sexist antics.


	5. All Out Part 3: Little Bird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava meets another wrestler that sees her. 
> 
> Kenny deals with Pac when Moxley doesn’t show up.

Chapter 5: All Out Part 3: The Little Bird

**Ava**

Ava watched the show from inside the catering area. The company had a television set up in there for the performers to watch. Since Rae and Joy handled the main part of the wardrobe, that left Ava to get food, snacks and drinks for the others in her group. Rae and Joy were swamped with mendings that needed to be done, also some of the people wanted new designs for attire and merchandise.

Wrestling was never really something that Ava could understand, in part because her brother was really into it. When she had her small place in Pittsburg, she had seen a few Indy shows over there and it was nice then. But now it confused her.

It meant that her brother was more popular, he and Chuck were accomplished wrestlers and AEW was the perfect place for them. Her brother was funny, him and Chuck both. Then they were really funny when James “Orange” Cassidy got into the mix.

She smiled when seeing The Best Friends standing tall at the end of their match, bro hugging Orange after the man came out. Ava clasped her hands in front of her and smiled at Trent. The fans were happy that a third member was added to the group. She twisted where she stood while the camera panned out.

She was happy. Happy no one noticed her. Ava turned back to the snack table she had been standing next to only to bump into someone who had almost stood directly behind her.

“Oh, sorry about that, little bird.” The man said. “You distracted me for a second.”

She pretty much tripped over the chair she had been standing by. Ava felt her legs hit it and felt herself lose balance. As she started to fall, a hand caught her arm and pulled her up against a warm body.

“Watch it there, you don’t want to hurt yourself.” He smiled at her. “I’m Pac, the bastard. Well, my real name is Ben, but I go by Pac.”

How? How did he see her? No one else had even seen her, not even that little guy with Jurassic Express. First it was Kenny who could see her and now this man. And he wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his ring attire were just little trunks...and he had a beard.

The man let go of her. “So sorry, I think I’ve scared you, Little Bird.”

She rubbed her arm and looked back towards the screen. “Ava. Not Little Bird.”

“Well, you’re cute like one. Who were you watching on the telly?”

Ava looked towards the curtain area where the wrestlers went out and came back in through. Trent, Chuck and Orange would be making their way back soon, after their match. They were probably celebrating and showing Orange off to the fans.

“Ava? What are you doing out here?” Her eyes got big when hearing Kenny’s voice.

He walked up to her and the dark haired man that still stood too close to her. This man, Pac, was wearing small black trunks and black boots with wrestling shin guards, similar to what Kenny was wearing. She was caught between this new man and a television and chair. She couldn’t leave if she wanted to.

Panic had started to set in as her thoughts melted into one continuous stream of flood worries.

What was worse, he wasn’t wearing proper clothes, just like Pac. Kenny wore gray tights, like Trent’s tights. But he lacked a shirt, and his hair was wet and so was his chest. A droplet of water tricked down between the pecs of his chest. She didn’t mean to stare, she really didn’t but the ability to breathe had closed off her throat.

“Ava?” Kenny stepped closer.

She pressed her hands to her face and just waited for it all to go away. Why, why was this happening? Why were two men looking at her when she was supposed to be invisible. No one outside her group was supposed to see her.

“Little Bird, you’re okay. No need to hide from us. You know this little thing, Omega?”

“Somewhat. She’s Trent’s twin sister. Ava, Sweets, can you please look at me?” Kenny sounded from her direct right, since the other man was in front of her.

She looked at him through her fingers.

“Hey, do you want me to take you back to the wardrobe room? I don’t mind.” Kenny said.

Where was her brother? If she had him or any of the others, then maybe she would be better.

The new man sort of smiled when she chanced a glance at him.

“What’s going on?” Trent asked as he approached. “Why are you guys crowding my sister?”

“Well, for one, little bird sort of bumped into me. And now I think she’s having a panic attack.” Pac said. “I saw her watching the telly when I came in. Omega, do you know her?”

“We’ve met before.” He answered.

“Come on, Ava. You know you can at least look at Omega.” Trent sighed. “Geez, anytime someone sees you, you freak out.”

“I think I’m missing something.” Pac said.

“Ava’s hard to notice, hardly anyone notices when they first come around. You and Omega have been the only ones that have actually noticed her without us having to point her out to you.” Trent tried to explain.

Ava didn’t know where to move. She didn’t know why her brother was being rude. She also didn’t know why Pac insisted on calling her Little Bird and why did he have to wear so little clothing? At least Kenny wore pants, tights or whatever.

“Come on, Ava. We’ll take you back to the wardrobe room. Why did you come out here in the first place?” Chuck asked.

She pointed towards the drinks and snacks table. “For Rae and Joy.”

“Oh, you must have watched The Best Friends’ match. How long have you been a fan?” The new guy asked.

“My sister doesn’t really care for wrestling. She’s sort of a PA for us.” Trent looked at Pac, his brows sort of scrunched up. “Why?”

She made a break for it when Pac stepped back from Trent. She squeezed by Pac and walked up to the snacks table, all the while trying to breathe. Why was it so hard? Why couldn’t she just not make a fool of herself in front of someone like Kenny?

“Hey, Sweets.” Kenny stood to her side. Now he was calling her by something other than her name. Why? “Ava, do you want me to walk you back to the wardrobe room?”

She sniffed a little and closed her eyes. If it meant getting away from him and Pac, then yes she would. But he asked if she wanted him to take her back. So Ava shook her head no and picked up the water bottles she had come to get for Rae and Joy. She tried to imitate Rae and walked away from him.

Trent caught her arm. “Wrong way, Ava.” He turned her around and took her in the right direction. “Wardrobe is this way.”

Ava refused to even look at Kenny or the Pac guy. Why would she when both bare chested men were watching her like she actually existed in their world. How was it that she could just get them to not see her when no one else seemed to in the first place.

* * *

**Kenny**

When Ava left with her brother, Kenny turned to Pac. The English wrestler watched her as well and then he caught the woman glance back at the two men.

“The little bird is cute, isn’t she?” Pac asked.

“Why? Are you interested?”

“Are you?”

He was not going to explain anything to Pac. They had a match to think about, but then again when seeing Pac with his hands on Ava, something in Kenny wanted to start the match early. Maybe it was the way the guy smiled at her, or the panicked expression as she stared at Pac. Either way, a few hard bumps would even out the odds in their match.

“So you like the little bird?” Pac asked.

“Why must you call her that?”

“Because she is. A cute little bird that is so flighty she could get lost easily.” Pac said it in a way that really started to piss Kenny off. “It would be a shame if the great Omega lost to the even greater Bastard.”

Pac went left, opposite of where Ava had gone. Kenny growled out some choice words in Japanese as he followed the British Bastard towards where the Executives were gathered.

He had planned it out with Pac before hand how he was going to lose the match. When Pac was able to get his contract in order with the other promotion, he jumped over to AEW. Like Kenny, Pac had a double contract with AEW and his other promotion. This meant that Pac could work in AEW and other promotions that AEW was in association with.

It did not mean he liked the guy.

Then there was the other stuff that Kenny had signed into, like controlling the women’s division. His work in Japan with fellow female only wrestling companies earned him a lot of respect for how he saw women. They deserved all the praise the men did, and some of them like Riho had a great background within wrestling. He needed to make their division the best out there.

There was just too much stuff going on, and on top of the black haired woman with big blue eyes, he was being pulled in many different directions.

Kenny stood at the entrance waiting for his cue for him to go out for his match later that night. He’d go out first and then Pac. Had this been the planned match against Moxley, it would have turned bloody like they had planned. But no, they were going for a KO.

A PA stood next to him, a headset on his head and listening for the signal.

“Ready?” Pac asked.

“Pretty much. You?”

“Can’t wait.”

Both men, though Kenny hated to admit it, had been burned by the company Pac used to run with. WWE was making strides to try to bury AEW, like it had buried Pac, once known as Neville.

“I heard you’re taking Little Bird out to dinner. Her brother okay with the arrangement?”

“He didn’t say anything. Why are you interested?”

“Hardly. I might catch the little bird later.” Just as the words left Pac’s mouth, Kenny’s music came on.

Kenny didn’t have time to threaten the man, he had to get out to the ring. It didn’t mean Kenny couldn’t do a few stiff shots in the ring, to show Pac his actions weren’t going unnoticed.

Any cheap shots were hidden. The cues in the grappling, to the final choke out hold, each of them shared tidbits of what the other thought of them. Even though Kenny loss through a submission hold making him appear to pass out, he was able to hear what Pac said.

“Little Bird is cute, isn’t she?” The man whispered in his ear.

Once their match was over, Kenny played up the winded fan favorite and then he went backstage. The Bucks were back there, Adam as well.

“Dude, why were you throwing up stiffs?” Nick asked.

Not that he was trying to hide it, the fans wouldn’t know what a stiff move was, but wrestlers could see it for miles.

“You both were.” Matt added.

“There’s nothing to discuss. Pac and I have had it out for a while now.” Kenny ran a hand through his hair. “It’s nothing personal.”

“Sure it’s not.” Adam said. “If it wasn’t Pac wouldn’t have made a B-line for the wardrobe room as soon as he left the ring.”

Kenny took off. There was no way in hell he was going to let Pac anywhere near Ava. But then again, Rae was in there, maybe Best Friends. After the panic episode earlier, maybe they would be more vigilante with Ava.

At the doorway to the wardrobe room he looked in and found Ava in an instant. She stood by a table that Pac was leaning against. She looked at the man, sort of at least. Her head was angled up, and her teeth chewed at her lower lip. Rae wasn’t in the room, Joy was but she had stuff going on.

“Tell you what, Little Bird. Once you’re done playing games with Omega, you should call me.” Pac took a piece of paper and a pen and wrote on it. “Can’t let Omega have all the fun.”

“W-why?” She stammered.

“Because, he’s not the only one that can see you. Also you’re cute, Little Bird. You ought to spread your wings and fly a little. Be independent.” Pac held up the piece of paper. “Call me when you want to spread your wings, and maybe some other parts of you, Little Bird.”

A swear word slipped out, and it wasn’t an English word either. Ava looked over at him, the slip of paper fell from her hand.

“Oh come on, I haven’t stolen your chance with her.” Pac said as he walked up to Kenny. “Not tonight at least.”

With a laugh, Pac left the room. Kenny watched him until the man was out of sight before he turned back to Ava. She still stood in the corner of the room, but her hands were covering her face again.

“What was that about?” Joy asked.

“I think Pac wants to beat me more than just in a ring. Where’s Rae?”

“Tony is talking to her. The guys are getting their stuff ready to leave. Who was that man? Why was he so interested in Ava?”

“Just another wrestler, one bastard that doesn’t know when to back off. Did he touch her?”

“No, just talked about dinner or something. Then he gave her his number. What does he want with Ava?”

“I wish I knew.”

Ava moved her hands so that she was hugging herself. She leaned against the wall and squeezed her eyes shut. She looked almost in pain. How could she not? If she had been so terrified of Kenny, she was more so now that Pac set his sights on her.

It was painful to watch and not be able to console her.

“Ava, Sweets, are you okay?” He had to ask the question.

She looked up at him. More so towards his head. She couldn’t make proper eye contact, not that he was going to fault her on that.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.” He said. “If this bothers you, I’ll back off.”

Again she squeezed her eyes shut. Whatever was going through her head, it bothered her and he knew she was fighting with something that went deeper than that.

“Why? Can, you see me?” She stuttered that out as if she were in agony.

As her eyes met his, it sort of clicked. She relied too much on that quirk of hers, not being able to be seen by people. So it bothered her that she wasn’t invisible to him.

“Maybe because you and I were meant to be friends. I’m all for anyone who can play video games and having a good time. Since you play video games, I figured we could do them together.”

She bit her lip and nodded. “I’ll play games with you.”

Pac wasn’t wrong about her being Little Bird, if it meant spreading her wings a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Having a bit of an issue trying to decide how this story should go. I may need to take a break from it and do some planning for it. 
> 
> Again, that’s for reading it. I’ll be back when I can.


	6. Dave and Busters and Drunks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you get to know a person better over some food and drinks, but sometimes those drinks bring out the best and the worst in a person.
> 
> Joy and Rae experience these two factors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POV characters have changed for this chapter. Now it’s Joy and Rae.

**Chapter 6: Dave, Busters, Drunks**

**Joy**

She watched Rae and Ava get into Kenny’s rental car. She stood with her brother, Orange and Trent as the men were getting their things into their own rental car.

“You okay with Ava being around Kenny?” Joy asked Trent.

He leaned his hand on the top of the car. “Rae knows what she wants for Ava. Me, I know Ava needs more than just us.”

“Sounds like you need that, too, Joy.” Chuck said.

Spreading wings wasn’t only needed for Ava. Joy pressed her hand to her neck and checked her wrist at the same time. She knew what they were referring to. That wasn’t something she wanted to deal with, not months after what happened.

“You know, I think she wanted you to have some fun.” Chuck said as he closed the trunk of the car. “It doesn’t mean you have to be drunk, it just means that you have to have some fun.”

“That sentence made no sense.” She looked at her brother.

“Well, you don’t have to drink to have fun. Where we’re going, the dance floor is lit, Baybee.” Orange said as he smiled at her.

“Don’t Baybee me, James.” She rolled her eyes at him before she went to get in the back passenger seat.

“Then what would you like to call you?” He asked as he got in the backseat with her. “Honey?”

Why? Why was he being this way? She didn’t want to think of him as anything other than a friend, she didn’t need...

The texts.

She got one while she was in the car on the way to the club.

_**I want U back w me** _

She canceled the text and shoved it in her back pocket. It was yet another unknown number, much like the previous ones had been.

They drove for about twenty minutes, through a city she never really cared to learn anything about. It was Illinois, which wasn’t even a state she thought about in her daily life. Of course when she got out at the club, it wasn’t anything to write home about, it looked like a typical modern building with glass windows, annoying music that could be heard from outside and a bouncer that had to take a look at her ID just to get in with the rest of the AEW wrestlers.

“Let’s go to that table over there,” Trent pointed towards a VIP booth that was set up for the wrestlers.

Joy had an instant headache, which didn’t help her mood. She watched Chuck head over towards the bar to get their orders, which she was more than happy to stick to water.

Orange, any time he was in public, stuck to his laid back less than appropriate, nonchalant persona. He had leaned back, hands in his jacket pocket in the chair next to her as she watched the people around them.

“I never told you that you looked pretty today.” Orange said when he leaned in towards her.

Trent didn’t even look up. Joy was thankful Ava’s brother wasn’t paying attention to her and Orange.

“Thank you?” She looked at Orange, her face had more than likely taken on a look of confusion.

“I mean it, Joy. You were really pretty today. Hell, you were awesome with work, too.”

She shook her head. No, she never really felt pretty. Joy had been reminded over and over that she was never good enough for anyone else, and it sort of stuck. There was no way that James ‘Orange’ Cassidy thought that she was pretty. The conversation back at the arena had dislodged old memories, and thoughts about herself as she tried not to look at Orange’s handsome face.

Like her, he had a scar on his arm. Unlike hers, his weren’t new. His happened years ago and ran further along his forearm. He told Joy it had been when he landed wrong in the ring. That arm was draped over Joy’s shoulders as she sat with her hands in her lap.

“You looked good tonight, even while working your ass off.”

“Thank you, Orange.” She said but her voice was muffled under the annoying music.

“Hey, I’m going to see what Santana and Ortiz are up to.” Trent turned around to look at them. “Hold the table down until Chuck gets back.”

“Cool.” Orange said. “We’ll be fine.”

When Trent left, Joy tried to move away from Orange but his arm prevented her from doing just that.

“I got you something.” Orange said about five minutes later.

She watched him pull something out of his jacket pocket and then hand it over to her. It was a choker necklace, with butterflies on it. She had loved butterflies for the longest time, since it had been the only thing to brighten her day when she was under lock and key with her last relationship.

“You’re always so pretty, so I thought you wouldn’t mind something more appropriate to wear when you’re out and about.”

The collar was brought, it would be enough to hide the scar on her neck. The band alone could stretch to get over her head.

“Why?” She asked as he put the choker in her hand.

“Because, to me, you’ll always be pretty no matter what.” He said. “Here, let me put it on for you.”

Joy couldn’t say anything as Orange stretched the necklace over her head and let it rest with the other chokers she had been wearing. When the necklace was on, Orange rubbed her cheek with his thumb and then pressed the lightest of kisses to her forehead.

“Hey, I’m back. I got you a water bottle, Joy.” Chuck said over the music as he put their drinks down in front of them.

Joy moved back from Orange, knowing full well her brother had seen everything. All Orange did was smile at her.

* * *

**Rae**

Rae shook her head. Of course Ava would only get something that was no bigger than an appetizer. If Kenny seemed to notice, he didn’t make a big deal out of it. Rae, on the other hand, saw how scrunched up Ava was as she sat between Kenny and herself.

The restaurant they were at, this particular Dave and Busters wasn’t too bad on the noise. Too much of the noise bothered her, which was another reason for not going to a club. They weren’t seated around any annoying game cabinets where they were seated, those were located in a designated playing area that other adults seemed to enjoy playing on.

The other reason for Rae to shake her head, Adam already downed one beer and they were barely twenty minutes into their dinner. He sat directly to her left, making Ava to her right and Kenny on Ava’s right as well.

Ava continued to try to be as small as possible, hands squeezed between her knees and gaze fixed on the table. Of course she would be willing her power to work, but it wasn’t. Not with how Omega was looking at her as he talked about a gaming competition thing that he had done back in 2016.

“Nick and Matt went with me to Orlando where we beat WWE superstar Xavier Woods and the other two in the New Day at Street Fighter.” Kenny told her.

She nodded. She hadn’t said two words since they got to the restaurant. Not that she could with Kenny blabbering on about video games.

“I think there is an old Street Fighter cabinet here.” Matt spoke up. “Maybe a Street Fighter 2 one, since it was the best series around.”

Ava, again, nodded.

“What do you like to do in your spare time, Rae?” Adam asked her.

“A good book, and when I had the time, hiking.” She said.

“Have either of you ever ridden a horse?” He asked.

Ava nodded. Rae looked at her and inclined her head. The woman needed to learn to use her voice.

”I rode, a few times.” Ava managed to get out before trying to do her invisibility trick by sliding further in her chair.

“I got a horse, his name is Stoney. My property lies near a beach and I’ll go riding him. Have you ever ridden a horse, Rae?”

“A few times, but not in the last two years. Last one I rode was named Earnhardt, like after the NASCAR driver.” She said. “He was a sweetheart.”

The talk of horses had Ava’s attention on her. Of course Orange and herself never grew up in the country, neither did Ava. Joy had mentioned that she and Chuck did 4H growing up before she went into art and doing movie magic stuff. Ava just loved animals, or anything to do with video games.

“When was this?” Nick asked as if he tried to keep a conversation that wasn’t about video games going. “I mean when was the last time you rode a horse?”

“Well, I had to take a group of kids with social issues out for a horse ride. Some sort of test to see if animal therapy and working on a horse ranch was worth the educator’s time with these kids. But when you take city kids out of the city and put them in the country it gets a little, well, some took to the experience better than others. One boy preferred the tractors.”

“How well did it work?” Matt asked.

“It didn’t. Not with the kids, it was great with the kids. The school screwed the ranch that was willing to help them out of money. More of a you never paid us, so you can’t use us anymore scenario. Just another thing an inner city school managed to screw over.”

Amongst other things, like knowingly look the other way when CPS needed to be called for child abuse at a home.

When Ava was finished with her small portion, she nursed a glass of ice water like Kenny but Rae enjoyed the tea that tasted better than some of the Southern stuff. She had seen Adam down two more glasses of beer by the time Kenny asked Ava if she was ready to play some games.

“You go, I’m going to stay here a little longer.” Rae said when Ava looked over at her.

Ava bit her lip and then started to stand up. When Kenny touched her back, Rae said Ava flinch. For a brief moment Kenny’s face fell but he regained composure and told her he saw a game he wanted to try out first. Off they went.

“Hate to say it, I think Kenny has it bad.” Nick said as he shifted his place around in front of him.

“In his mind, he says he just wants to be friends but how he acts with her, it’s different.” Matt added.

“Ava never really had anyone but her brother. As long as he keeps it in his pants, I’m all for whatever happens for Ava.”

“What about Pac?”

She had her reservations about that man. She never met him or saw him through out the night and usually Rae knew who was around and what was going on. She said as such to the men.

“So, he apparently asked Ava out.” Adam said.

“What?” She sat up straighter. “Why the hell would he do that?”

The three men shrugged. Adam slumped a little further in his chair.

“I think because it’s getting around that Kenny made a new friend with a weird chick.” Matt put his hands up as Rae glared at him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to come off like that. I’m just repeating what people are saying.”

“Well, Ava may be scared of being noticed by someone, but it’s hardly anything that should be made fun of.”

“We’re not poking fun at the woman.” Nick said. “We’re...actually it’s kind of cute. Kenny hadn’t been like this in a long time and it’s great to see him taking an active interest in someone.”

Adam stood up. “Well, I’m done. I’m going to go watch them.” He said.

Rae stood as well. “Fine. I guess I will, too.”

The man couldn’t stand on his two feet, not without swaying every which way.

“Are you sure you can stand up?” She asked the cowboy.

“I’m fine. Nothing wrong.” Adam waved her off with his hand.

She dealt with worse. But when he slung his arm around her shoulders as they headed toward where Ava and Kenny were, his larger frame pressed unnecessary into her.

“Forgot to mention, you look really good tonight.” Adam leaned down toward her ear.

“Get off me.” She shrugged off his shoulder and pushed him back. “God, you’re so Goddamn stupid.”

“What’s wrong?” He asked her.

“You smell, for one. I hate drinkers and you’re drunk. That sums up three things that I hate about you.” She turned to him and glared. “What makes you think I would ever want anything to do with you and this?” She motioned to his body in general.

He stared at her with a blank expression. Of course he would, he was too drunk to process the words that were coming out of her mouth.

“Just stay the hell away from me. Preferably down wind. I don’t want to smell you.”

She turned on her heel and wound her way through the copious amount of video game and gaming attractions in the restaurant. He, of course, followed. But with him came the two brothers, both of whom were more than capable of keeping his hands off of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This felt right to change up the characters a little and just focus on the girls for once and their inner thoughts of what’s going on. Now I just need to figure out what to do with the next chapter.


	7. Chapter 7: Fun and Games, Not Really

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s Adam and Kenny this chapter. Things don’t go well for anyone.

**Chapter 7: Fun and Games, Not Really**

**Adam**

Rae was beautiful. Adam licked his lips and mused himself about the fiery woman. She leaned against the game cabinet as Kenny and Ava started another game of Street Fighter. The need for another drink arose but Adam stayed the safe distance he thought he should be at, since she had threatened bodily harm to him.

“Staring at her like that is kind of creepy.” Nick said as he stood on one side of Adam.

“What else am I supposed to do? She yelled at me.” He looked at the brothers.

“Maybe not drink like you’re going to die tomorrow.”

“Drinking kills,” said Nick.

Adam shook his head. That only made the room spin. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Come on, Ava. Kick his ass.” He heard Rae cheer her friend on.

“Hey, no outside interference from the audience.” Kenny said.

“Screw you, I’ll root my girl on no matter what.”

“Big Talk, Little Woman.”

Adam growled when he heard Rae laugh. How could he get her to laugh like that? Hell, how could he get her to talk in a civil tone?

He needed another drink. He went back to their table the nice waitress had refilled his pitcher. Adam filled his glass and downed it in seconds before he prepped his glass for another refill.

Rae was beautiful. Her short cropped orange hair would have been great to run his fingers through. Her eyes, they were a sun shining blue sky color. She was everything he had never managed to get in his life. Most of the others weren’t...they didn’t have the set of values she obviously had. Her devotion to her friends, her background in teaching, those were things he didn’t mind having in a partner. But she wanted nothing to do with him.

He downed his drink. Adam knew what he had to do. At least his brain told him it was a good idea.

He walked right up to Rae and stood there for a moment. She didn’t process that he was behind her. This gave him the moment he needed to assemble the words he wanted to us. How he was going to get her attention, and then what he was going to do to show her that he cared?

He took a deep breath.

“Rae,” he said as he looked down at her pretty head.

She sighed and turned around. “What is it, Cowboy?”

His brain told him hit was a good idea. That she would like it. But then again, his brain had told him that he needed to swoop in soon or he would loose this moment.

He grasped her soft cheeks in his hands, leaned in and kissed her. It was heave just like he thought. Soft petal lips that scorched his lips. Truly, heaven on earth.

It turned to hell in a matter of moments. Before he knew it, his nuts were screaming, she was hollering and Adam ended up on the floor cupping himself. He curled on his side in an attempt to protect his head from her fists and his manhood from her feet. She screamed and cursed and hit him, all at the same time. If felt like eternity of pain until Matt and Nick stepped in and pulled her off of him.

Rae stared down at him. “You are a fucking asshole.” She hissed at him like a cat through gritted teeth as Matt got her away from him.

Why was she pissed off at him? What did he do? Yet, those thoughts were drowned out by the pain in his nuts to fully ask her those questions.

“Ken, you should take Ava and Rae back to the hotel.” Matt said once Rae was finished struggling.

She froze. “Ava?” She looked around. “Ava? Ava, where are you? Kenny, did you see where Ava went?”

Kenny looked around. “No. Did you guys?”

The Bucks said they didn’t. Well, Adam had other problems going on to notice that the black haired woman had disappeared from the area complete.”

“You fucking asshole. If anything happens to her, it’s your fault.” Rae looked at him again before she turned to Kenny. “You look around here, I’ll see if she went to the dining area.”

“And we got him.” Nick motioned to Adam.

Kenny said nothing to Adam before he rushed off. Not that Adam expected Kenny to stick around, he was more stuck on the woman.

“You really screwed it up this time, didn’t you?” Nick asked as he helped Adam off the floor.

“I thought it was a good idea.”

“Yeah, well now it’s really screwed up if Ava disappeared.” Matt said.

More than just his nuts hurt, his pride. He just screwed up his chance to get Rae to acknowledge him.

What a screwed up night it had turned out to be.

* * *

**Kenny**

Kenny went to the right side of the arcade, where most of the other arcade games and skill based stuff were located. Nothing. Some of the people over there that he asked, if they had seen a black haired, less than five foot tall woman, and none had. He looked between and even behind a few that he thought she could squeeze in. Nothing. Kenny asked a few staff members if he had seen her, since Rae’s blow up caught quite a few people’s attention.

No one had seen Ava. She disappeared.

“I can’t find her.” Kenny told Rae after he met up at the dining table with Rae. “Do you think she left the restaurant?”

“Maybe, I’m not sure. She’s never done...well, she did once. But that was a long time ago.” She shook her head. “She ran off and found Trent at the gym he went to.”

“What if she gets lost?”

Rae picked up a phone that was left on the table. “She didn’t bring it. I can’t call her.”

Kenny felt his heart racing as he dug through his pocket. He pulled out the rental keys and handed them to her. “I’m going to run ahead. The gym is less than a mile from here. I’ll see if I can find her. You should call ahead and let Trent know what’s going on.” He also left her some money. “Pay the tab.”

Rae nodded.

After that he as off. Kenny ran out of the restaurant and looked around first in the front parking lot before he turned eastward toward where the club was. Maybe she would go there, maybe not. If she was like anything that happened earlier in the night, she would have gone in the wrong direction.

She could have been anywhere and he had no clue. So Kenny chose to go towards the club in hopes that he caught up with her. It was no more than a mile from the restaurant.

Any woman he saw on that Illinois city street was scrutinized. Any that were extremely short, had black hair and wore a nice black skirt he passed got looked at. None, none were the unique woman that he had been fascinated with since he met her. Kenny started to lose hope as he walked along.

At about six blocks from the club he stopped. He saw her standing under the light of a building overhang where she stared in a window. As Kenny got closer, it was that of a pet shop with dogs in kennels in the window. People passed her as she she stared at the animals.

“Ava, thank a god.” He said as he jogged up to her. “You had me scared to death.”

“Why?” She glanced at him as he looked her over, just to be sure nothing happened.

“Because you disappeared. I was worried something had happened to you.”

She squinted her eyes as she looked up at him. “I’m fine on my own.”

“I’m sure you are, but damn it, you scared me. I thought my friend was in trouble.”

“Friend?”

“Yes, friend.” He stepped closer to her as a group of guys came strolling through the area. “Why did you run, Ava?”

“Rae,” she stuttered a little. He inclined his head to hear her better. “My parents got angry like her. I got scared.”

“Then come find me if you ever get scared.”

“I don’t know you.”

He was going to fight her on that topic, but she was right. She didn’t know him. They had only met twice and he lost track of any sensibility when it came to her.

Why was that?

“What do you want to know about me?” He asked.

“Nothing. I want my brother.” She walked around him. In the wrong direction of where she wanted and needed to go.

He caught the crook of her arm. “Wrong direction, Ava-chan. We need to go this way to get to the club.”

She looked at him. Her cute little was face scrunched up in a way that he didn’t know how to take it. He dropped his hold on her arm. Maybe she needed some space. So he gave her space as they walked toward the club where Rae would be waiting.

It sort of hurt when Ava didn’t acknowledge him through their walk together. She walked with her arms crossed and head down. More and more people passed them but no one seemed to see her, considering that some guy nearly ran her over.

“Dude, watch where the hell you’re going!” The man yelled as Kenny pulled Ava closer to him.

“Nah, you should have seen her. She’s walking in the open.” Kenny countered the drunk’s rage.

The man took a step toward Ava and Kenny put himself between her and the man that was of equal height, but overweight.

“You don’t want to mess with me.” Kenny said, followed by him saying that in Japanese.

The man must have seen the light because he staggered back and walked off while he cursed under his breath. It took Kenny a moment to gather his wits and calm his nerve before he turned to look at Ava.

She was already walking off.

“Ava, geez.” He jogged to catch up with her. “I’m....”

“Sorry.” She said as they came to the corner of the street. “Sorry that I’m too sensitive.”

“No, I’m sorry I blew up.”

“That’s not a blow up. I wanted to get away from him.”

“Because he was threatening?”

“He was drunk.”

She looked both ways. This corner didn’t have a cross walk light, so they had to take a chance. Kenny looked left, then right and started to take a step forward. Only he felt a small hand grab the back of his shirt and he stopped. No sooner had he stopped a car whizzed right in front of him, running the red light they were standing at.

“Jesus,” he chose a few sorted swear words in Japanese and looked down at Ava as she looked at him. “Sorry. Thanks for having my back.”

She smiled a little smile. Kenny was barely able to see it because she ducked her head and her long black hair fell like a curtain in front of her face.

“Come on, I think it’s safe now.” He said and took her hand in his. “Again, thanks for having my back.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Hey, when we’re talking about Capcom earlier tonight, you said you liked Monster Hunter. Which monster is your favorite?” He asked with the hope that it would ease her into a conversation that wasn’t strained.

“Rathalos. But I like Kulu-Ya-Ku and Pukei-Pukei from Monster Hunter World. I just like the series. I played it a lot when I had a PS2.”

They crossed the street and walked along the sidewalk toward the club. The neon sign for it glowed over the partially packed parking lot and there was a familiar group standing behind Kenny’s rental when he and Ava strolled up.

“Oh my god, Ava!” Trent yelled and ran at her full sprint.

He would have done that, too, had it been his sister. Kenny wouldn’t have picked her up like a little doll, though. Kenny watched Ava’s feet leave the ground as Trent picked her up. She hugged him back.

“Why did you run away again?” Trent asked as he put her down on the ground again.

“Rae.” Ava said and looked over at the woman.

“Yes, I know. I’m extreme when a drunk man kisses me.” Rae responded.

Ava scrunched up her face. Her hands fisted at her sides as she turned her shoulder to Rae, this meant Ava faced Kenny.

“You know that’s not why she would leave.” Trent said. “Thanks for finding her, Kenny. Where did you find her?”

“There was a pet shop along the way.”

“Of course. Nothing ever stops Ava like animals or animals in video games. Thanks, Kenny.” Trent nodded at him.

When in doubt, look for animals if he needed to find Ava.

“Well, we all can agree I ruined everyone’s night. I’m going back to the hotel some way. I’m not sticking around here.” Rae said and threw the rental keys at Kenny. “Here, you can have your damn car back.”

“I can take you and Ava back to the hotel.” Kenny said.

“Whatever.” She turned and got in the back seat of his rental.

Ava looked between Trent and Kenny. It was obvious she was torn.

“There’s a free seat in our rental.” Trent said.

“Go, Ava. I’ll get Rae back for you.” Kenny told her.

“Okay.” She said as she looked at Kenny. “Thank you.”

Thank you for what, he wanted to ask. Running after her or not pushing her to go back to the hotel with him and Rae? Either way he watched The Best Friends, Joy and Ava head over to their car, which Joy got behind the driver’s seat.

Rae was quiet throughout the ride. She only leaned her head against the window and watched the world pass by. What happened to her? What made her this way?

“You don’t like drunk people. Neither do it.” Kenny said. “Page can get out of hand, sometimes, but he’s still a really nice guy as you get to know him.”

“My Dad killed my mom, injured James and I when we were kids. All because he was drinking.” She said. “Then I had a boyfriend that was more fond of beer bottles than our relationship, to the point he was constantly calling from jail for me to bail him out.”

Rae sounded like a robot. She sounded subdued but also in pain. If he had that happen to him as a kid, it would have screwed him up. The strong woman that she appeared to be dissolved as the night wore on and the longer he got to know her.

She obviously knew she messed up.

He pulled into the hotel parking lot where all performing AEW wrestlers were housed, along with some staff members. As he pulled in, Joy pulled into the spot next to him. The Young Bucks were waiting outside as the group got out of their cars.

“Hey,” Matt said as Rae walked up. “Just so you know, he’s knocked out right now. Don’t be surprised if he apologizes tomorrow.”

“I’m not going to be around tomorrow. I’m going back home early.” Rae said as she passed them.

Rae walked into the hotel, which left the others outside.

“We’re not having a good night.” Kenny clarified. “You guys going to be okay?” Kenny asked the group.

Trent nodded. “Yeah, we should be.”

“My sister can be a handful to deal with when she thinks someone has slighted her.” Orange said. “But she has good morals and ideals that not many men can live up to. Thanks for the help tonight.”

Kenny nodded. He wasn’t really sure what to say to Ava as she pressed herself into Trent’s side.

Pac came out of the hotel front doors. Of all the things he had to deal with, he didn’t want to deal with that.

“Hello there, Little Bird. Have a fun night out?”

Ava shook her head, her arm came up around Trent’s waist.

“Excuse us, Pac, we’re heading to bed now.” Trent said, as if knowing the British Bastard was bothering Ava.

“What are you doing out here at this time?” Matt asked. Pac barely glanced at him.

“A night run. I couldn’t sleep. Had too much going on in my head.” He looked at Ava again. “Offer is still open, Little Bird.”

Her face flicked over to Kenny. He shoved his hands in his pockets and stayed quiet. It would look bad if he started a fight in front of the hotel with one of his coworkers. No matter how much he wanted to punch the shorter man.

“Well, I’ll wish you sweet dreams, Little Bird. I’m off. See you around next time. Maybe I’ll catch you at the AEW training center.”

It was nice to see him jog off. But then again, if Kenny was back home in Japan, he’d do the same thing after a grueling show like All Out.

The Best Friends, and the girls, had rooms up on the fifth floor of the hotel. Kenny hadn’t noticed because of the prep work that he had to do with the pay-per-view. He wanted to say something, anything just to get Ava to talk.

“Hey, Ava,” he stopped and turned around.

She had been walking with her head down, watching the carpet as she walked along. She didn’t look up until she ran right into him. In an almost panic she tripped over her own two feet and he was there to catch her. Kenny wrapped an arm around her back, his hand pressed into the middle of her shoulder blades and pulled her into him. It was easier than seeing her land awkwardly on her backside, possibly hurting her frail looking body in the process.

“Easy there, I got ya, Ava-chan.”

She looked at him, her eyes wide. Even in the crappy lighting, her big blue eyes stared up at him. Even with how bony she appeared to be, her face still looked too young and childish. Yet she was so, well, pretty.

“I wanted to ask if you wanted my phone number.” He said, his thumb rubbed at her top.

She pulled back from him. He allowed her that privilege and freedom.

“Why?”

“Maybe we can get together before the start of AEW Dynamite and get play some video games. There’s arcades in Jacksonville we can go to.”

She bit her lower lip. Oh she had to just do that. She had to do the one thing anyone could do to stir the pot.

“Okay,” she said.

He pulled his phone out. She patted her pocket and then paled.

“Oh yeah, Rae grabbed your phone from the restaurant.”

“I have your number in my phone.” Trent spoke up as he leaned in the doorway to his hotel room. “I’ll give it to her.”

“Great, man. Thanks. Text me, and I’ll make time for you. Okay, Sweets?”

She nodded.

“Hey, Ava. Can I ask you a question?” She turned back around to look at him. “May I get a hug? You can say no.”

Her face was paler than before. She bit her lip for a moment and he felt his body tingle at the sight.

“No.” She said. “I’ll text you later.” Then she trotted into the room that was open for her.

“Try it on a day when she’s not stressed.” Trent said. “Night, Omega.”

“Night, Trent.”

The door closed.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Kenny ran his fingers through his hair. “What the hell is wrong with me?”  


He possibly screwed up with Ava if he asked for a simple hug.

Maybe sleep with help. He could only hope. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the best that I could do. Thanks for reading everyone.


	8. Chapter 8: Best Friends’ Night Oout

**Chapter 8: Best Friends Day Out**

**Joy**

Orange was sitting on Joy’s bed. Ava and Trent were occupying Ava’s bed, Chuck was laying flat in the middle of the floor and Rae was standing over him.

“Come on, it’ll be fun.” Rae said as she looked down at Chuck.

“No it won’t.” He said. His arm was draped over his face.

Even if they all were crammed in the only room, the guys had come up with a good idea since getting back from All Out. Joy wasn’t against the idea of going out and having a fun time on the town. Ever since getting back, most of the time it was Joy and Rae heading out to Daily’s Place to work. This left Ava alone with the guys, or just home alone. Not that the woman said anything, but Trent brought up the idea of going to the boardwalk that had a lot of night life and stuff going on for a Saturday.

Joy ducked her chin when Orange turned to her. “Are you sure you want to do it?”

She put her hand on her phone. It was safely tucked into the back of her jeans. Ever since their last outing, Joy knew that Ava would want to do something with them, so Joy brought it up with the guys but Chuck was just being a big baby about it.

“I want to do it. At least for Ava’s sake.”

She was engrossed in her newly purchased 2DS. She had saved up for it, to play that Monster Hunter Stories game or something like that on it. She had been playing more games since their trip to Dave and Busters, plus she got a new friend.

Friends...

“What do you want, Ava?” Trent asked. “Want to go to the boardwalk tonight?”

She took a deep breath and closed her little portable system. “Yes,” she said in that quiet tone she was good at.

“We don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”

“I want to go to the arcade out there. I heard they had some Japanese games.”

“Heard from who? Kenny?” Rae asked as she continued to stand over Chuck, her hands on her hips.

Ava’s knees drew up to her face, where she promptly buried her face. She hugged her knees and tried to shrink. Joy did that many times before, trying to get as small as possible so that no one would see her.

“Oh sure, of course he would tell you something like that.” Rae rolled her eyes.

Trent shook his head as he rubbed Ava’s back. Now matter how much he swamped the poor woman, his sister was just about the most important thing in his life. Maybe that would change as life went on, because he needed someone. 

“You’re just jealous Ava found someone who’s half way descent.” Chuck said.

Rae looked down at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You heard me. You’re jealous of Ava.”

Rae made a sound. It was like a cross between a growl and a groan, which culminated in Rae pulling her foot back and kicking Chuck in his hip slash butt. Considering that Rae was only a fraction of an inch taller than Joy, Rae hardly made a dent in the professional wrestler. He didn’t even say anything.

“You’re always hitting someone.” Joy said. “Can you not resort to violence for once?”

Rae looked at her. “I’m not that bad.”

“Yes you are.” Orange said. “You need to tone it down. If not for yourself, then for Ava. She’s now shaking.”

The raised voices would do that to Ava. She was delicate. She had clamped her hands over her ears throughout an Indy show early on in their friendship when Chuck and Trent became Best Friends. Trent had rekindled his relationship with Ava and this was before Joy had been with her ex boyfriend for too long.

Chuck sat up on his elbows. “Ava? You okay, Sweetheart?”

She looked over her knees at them. “Yeah.”

“Did you want me to head out with you guys? I’ll do it for you, Ava.” Chuck said as he pushed himself into a sitting position. “Just for you.”

She nodded. Her black hair tumbled over her shoulder as she did that.

“I’m going to go get ready. I hope I have some clean pants.” Chuck got off the floor.

Chuck, her brother. He was always the good brother. He was there for her, after they lost their parents to ill health, and then her life upended after her last relationship. Then she found herself with a group of friends that she liked, doing a job she was beginning to enjoy and appreciate...

“I’ll get ready too.” Trent slid off of Ava’s bed. “Come on, Ava. You can help me get ready.” Trent held his hand out.

Ava nodded and grabbed it. After she and Trent left the bedroom, that just left Rae, Orange and Joy.

“Well, I’m a freaking loser.” Rae said as she rubbed her arm.

“No. You just have to check yourself.” Orange stood up.

Orange walked up to Joy. She averted her eyes as she leaned against the wall next to the door.

“I need to talk to you, Joy.” He said before he left the room.

Rae made eye contact with Joy. “What’s that about?”

“I don’t know.” She said before she left.

Orange was the only one that had his own room. It was at the end of the hall in a small room, smaller than what Joy and Ava were sharing, or the one Chuck and Trent was sharing. Rae was the only one of the women who had her own room. Joy was happy that the large windows allowed light to come in. But Orange’s room was too dark because it was in the near permanent shadow of the house.

“Who keeps texting you?” Orange asked as he stood in the middle of his room.

“I don’t...”

“Joy, don’t lie to me.”

How many times had that been said to her? He stood the same way as Orange, hands on hips, a scowl. Waiting, watching and anticipating Joy to mess up. Even if she said something, she knew she would get it.

Sheer panic clawed at her throat. An animal waiting to run. She would have ran, she would have ran back to Rae. At least of all the people, Rae could stand her ground but Joy knew she had no chance. Even if Orange was the slightest of the Best Friends.

“Joy, I’ve seen the texts. The Unknown numbers. The threats. Who is threatening you?”

“I don’t...I don’t know.” She said. It was an honest answer. She didn’t know.

“Could it be Eugene?”

“How could it be him? He’s in prison.”

“Joy, he was only convicted of aggravated assault.”

And this was the southern states. Some of the laws were about screwed up because it was between a couple. Even if her throat had been cut, and he tried to make it look like she tried to do it herself, he was convicted of basic domestic abuse or something like that. He took a plea deal and was sent to prison for five years.

The court said they would notify her if he ever got out on parole though.

“You’re going to change your number.” Orange said. “I’m going to get you a new phone...”

“I can get myself all that.”

“When?”

“Soon. I’ve been doing work. I can’t...I can’t just...”

Orange walked up to her. She couldn’t look at him. If she had hid her phone, he wouldn’t be bothered to do anything.

“I care about you, Joy. A lot. When you’re hurting, I want to fix it.”

She looked at him.

“You’re a beautiful woman. You’re a wonderful human being. Can you trust me enough to know that I’m not going to be like him?” Orange asked.

Joy wanted to, she wished it to the sun and back. Orange was the bright star, a bright sunlight on all the cloudy days. Just being close to him was enough to calm her down. He was great with Ava, he was smart and funny.

Orange took her hands in his. “Let’s fix this together, Joy.” His thumbs rubbed over the backs of her. “Just let me in.”

All she had to do was nod. It was the only thing she could think of doing until Orange let go of her hands and drew her into a hug.

* * *

**Orange**

Once they had gotten everything ready, the group left in two different cars. Orange drove with Chuck and Joy. Trent and Ava were with Rae in Trent’s four seater sporty car. Orange knew that Ava would at least like the boardwalk, there was that arcade that Kenny had pointed out in a conversation the two had.

Chuck huffed from the back seat. “You know, Rae needs to get laid someday.”

“Why? Do you want to do the honors?”

“No, but she’s been bitchy since All Out. I don’t think I can deal with her much longer. I may have to move out if that’s the case.”

“Maybe she likes Adam, but having a bad time since he drinks like a race horse.” Joy supplied. “I’m more worried that she’s taking it out on Ava.”

Joy rested her hand on the armrest of her seat, then laid her head against the cool window of the front seat.

Orange could see it, he could feel it. His sister was wound up for some reason and even he couldn’t get it out of her. After the hell of a life they had together as kids, her recent upheaval around her last job, Rae was a firecracker that was about ready to explode.

Orange reached over and put his hand on Joy’s. His fingers squeezed hers.

Downtown Jacksonville was packed for a Friday. They parked in a public parking spot, paid for two parking spots for a few hours, and left towards the boardwalk. Ava held onto Trent’s shirt so that she wouldn’t get lost amongst the sea of people on the boardwalk. The reason for the amount of people was the fact that there was an end of the summer fair going on, which was nice to have found. Not that the women wanted to go on roller coasters. That was Chuck’s deal.

“I want to go on that.” Chuck said as he stood in front of a ride that was called The Zipper.

“Really? The county fair back home failed to maintain theirs and it broke mid ride. You can’t pay me enough to go on that.” Rae said.

“I bet you’ll have a good time.” Chuck said.

Rae rolled her eyes. She put her hands on her hips, Chuck did the same. They stared at one another in some sort of mock silent debate. When Chuck tilted his head in such a way, Rae finally sighed, threw her hands up and said she would go on the ride.

Orange looked at Trent and Ava. “Do you guys want to ride a ride?”

Ava shook her head as she hugged Trent’s arm. He pulled it away and wrapped it around her shoulders, keeping her closer.

“Nah, not right now.” Trent said. “If you guys want to, go ahead. We’ll wait around.”

“I’ll go.” Joy said. “I haven’t been on a ride since I was a kid.”

“Let’s go get some tickets.” Orange said.

It had been years since Orange had been to a fair. The smell of burnt popcorn mixed with the tang of salt from the nearby ocean was pleasant. If they had gone on a different day of the week, like Wednesday then they would have bypassed the crowds. Ava, from what he had seen, already got stepped on and ran into four times since getting to the boardwalk.

“Have you been to a fair recently?” Joy asked.

“I took an ex to one. She wasn’t for any of the rides though.” He shrugged at his answer. “Kind of sucks that I didn’t know about this one.”

“Yeah, I’m afraid Ava will get swept away.”

“What about you?”

“I, can handle myself.”

Orange took her hand again, said nothing and followed after Chuck and Rae.

Rides were fun. Sure he enjoyed his laid back nature, not doing a lot for less energy used was fun. There was something to say about getting strapped into a forward spinning pod that went up and down in a circular motion. It was better this time because Joy was clutching his arm as if he was going to save her. Though she didn’t scream like most anyone would, and when the ride slowed to the point they were suspended upside down, she said nothing. Her pretty were were closed tight and her face smooshed into his shoulder.

Maybe he could get her to do this more.

Chuck and Rae waited on wobbly legs for Orange and Joy to get off the ride. Rae was laughing. She had shared a ride seat with Chuck.

“You screamed like a little girl.” She laughed at Chuck.

“You’re supposed to be a school teacher. The amount of swears coming out of your mouth could make my grand momma turn in her grave.” He said.

“That doesn’t surprise me any.” Orange said.

“I’ll go on it again later. Let’s go find Trent and Ava. I wonder where they went.”

It was easier to look for Trent. The tall man could stand out easy enough. Near the Zipper ride were the games, the fair games. There was also the famous arcade that was permanently housed there so it was natural to put the fairway games around it. The area was a little bit bigger for people to move around at. But it was the person there with Trent and Ava that caught Orange off guard.

“What is he doing here?” Orange said as they got to the entrance of the fairway and the arcade.

Trent was looking at Pac. Not that he was going to leave his sister with the man. Thank goodness he wasn’t touching her, either.

“What are you doing?” Joy asked as Orange pulled his phone out and took a picture of the two.

“Just proof.”

Ava wasn’t looking at him, she was sort of looking down. Joy had been that way when he met her. Never could look someone in the face or eye, out of fear. So she looked at the ground.

Orange texted the picture he had taken to Kenny.

Rae stomped up to them. Sure Pac was about two feet away from Ava, with her hands clasped in front of her like a small child, at least Orange knew that Rae could read more into the situation.

“Are you following us?” Orange heard Rae ask.

“Following you? No. I took my chances, figured this would be a likely place Little Bird would like to go to. Oh, and I got her something.”

The man pulled something out of his pocket. It was one of those large hair clips that looked like claws. It had a humming bird affixed to it.

“I figured this would help keep your hair out of your pretty face, Little Bird.”

Ava looked at him, then back at Trent. She would never do anything unless Trent or some of the others disagreed. It was a little off putting that the British Bastard was so interested in Ava for some reason, but then again so was someone else. When no one spoke up, not that anyone else could hear outside of their little bubble, Ava took the hair clip and cinched the right side of her bangs up, so that at least one eye was showing.

“See, nothing wrong with being nice.” Pac put his hands in his jean pockets. “So, since you’re going to be on the road this coming October, I’ll look forward to all of my performances, Little Bird.”

“It’s Ava.” She said.

“Aw, yes. Ava. What is that short for?”

“That is her real name.” Trent said, though Orange knew the tone he was using.

“Really now? Just Ava?”

“That’s my name. Just Ava, Ava Barretta.” She squeezed her hands open and closed as she glanced at Pac.

“Okay, Ava. You still have my number?” She looked down. “I’ll take that as a no. No worries, Little One. I carry one of these around since I’ve got businesses elsewhere.” He pulled a business card from his wallet.

She took it. She looked at it and then at Pac again. “Okay.”

“How did you know we would be here?” Rae asked.

“I overheard a convo between Brandi and that one over there.” Pac nodded towards Joy.

Orange pulled her close, sort of behind him when Pac’s dark gaze looked at Joy. Chuck even side stepped in front of Joy.

“Do you do this a lot? Crowd your women as if someone is going to hurt them?” Pac asked.

“That’s just the way things are.” Chuck answered.

“Hmm, then humor me. This one gets physical with people at the slightest provocation, this lovely little one here doesn’t talk and people can’t see her. She’s the other quiet one, but works her ass off for wardrobe. I’m correct aren’t I?”

None said otherwise at his assumption.

“So, I’m guessing you lot had a crappy childhood and are just protecting your sisters, and the girlfriend.”

“That’s just the way things are.” Rae said.

Pac nodded. He rubbed his chin as he looked at Ava again.

“So, about dinner, Little One. You call me, we go out and have a nice time. Then you can have your time with Omega when he gets back from Japan. Fair trade?”

“I don’t know.”

“Sleep on it. I promise you, I’m not that much of a Bastard once you get to know me. I’ll let you enjoy your time with your brother and friends, but I can’t wait to spend some quality time with you, Ava.” He smiled and turned.

The man only got three feet away before he was swallowed up by the wave of people that spilled through the area. They had been standing to the side, the people passed without incident but the group stood in an uncomfortable freeze as they waited for Pac to show back up. When he didn’t, Orange said a thanks to whoever was listening and turned back to the group.

“You’re shaking, Ava.” He said.

She looked at her hands. With the business card still grasped in her fingers, she shoved it into the back of her black jeans.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, Ava.” Chuck said.

“Yeah, ignore him. Come on, I know what you can do to cheer up. This way.” Trent took Ava’s hand in his and pulled her into the arcade. “Are you any good with racing games?”

“Are you?” She asked.

”Come on, all the times we’ve played Mario Kart, I know I won once.”

”You’ve never won against me.” She said as they started to walk into the arcade.

“Well, at least he got her to forget about Pac.” Rae said. “What the hell is his deal?”

“He wants to piss off Omega.” Chuck said as they walked into the arcade.

“So, Ava has two guys who A) want to be her friend or B) both want to date her.” Joy said. “I think Kenny wants to be a friend, and Pac is just trying to rile things up. He’s not interested in Ava more than just a play thing.”

She would think that, considering what she went through. Orange was in part sure of that, but then again, Pac didn’t act overbearing like Joy’s ex had been when he first asked her out. Pac was setting things in place for Ava to choose. Not forcing her. Although that was up for debate, persuasion was a different kind of force.

Chuck joined Trent and Ava in some of the games, this gave Rae any reason to crap on the two guys by rooting for Ava to win. Joy stayed with Orange as they watched the group, holding hands no less. It was a moment that Orange would cherish, if nothing less than just knowing that not once did Joy pull away from him, out of fear or disgust.

By the end, tt was an okay night. They went back to a few rides, even being the group of adults on the Carousel. That was an interesting social media picture, to say the least. Nothing like having fun with just themselves before the group would be going back to performing for live audiences once the weekly television shows happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve had a lot of stuff going on that has cut into my writing time. I hope to be back when I can. As always, thanks for reading.


End file.
